John Smith’s new guitar

John has been hankering after a guitar like this for a while, after seeing one that I took to Ullapool two years ago. In fact, that guitar is still at Ullapool - it came back here briefly then hitched a ride back up again.

John’s new guitar is a long scale Alexander. It has Brazilian Rosewood back and sides, from the same “log” that I used for Richard Hawley’s Falstaff, and an incredibly stiff and figured soundboard of Sitka Spruce that I have had for over 25 years. The bindings are burr Yew, again from Mike Waterson who supplied the Rosewood many years ago. It’s all one big happy family really.

The Yew is bordered with black and gold lines, which continue in the soundboard purflings, around the headstock, and through the Cuban Mahogany neck.

The fingerboard is deliberately plain, so that John can blame me for any wrong notes, and the 46mm width is in case his fingers get fat from all that caviar. At the last minute I made some special tuner buttons from Yew, Ebony and Maple. Because I wanted to.

I can now fit the pickup and start saying goodbye. It’s always difficult, I’ll send cards every Birthday and Christmas, but I don’t expect to hear back, I know what kids are like.